Art as a Coping Mechanism for Mental Health

Katie Haberer

“She looked like art, and art wasn’t supposed to look nice; it was supposed to make you feel something.”

-Rainbow Rowell

For many people, art is simply something pretty to hang on a wall and fill space. But for those of us who create the art, the meaning is typically so much deeper.Art isn’t always pretty, and even when it is, the process in which it is made often is not. So dive with me into my creative mind for a bit and let me show you a whole new world that is art; the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Life is hard. I can’t tell you how many times art has saved my mind. Creativity isn’t just a gift to give beauty back to the world. It’s an outlet for pain, hurt, grief, loss, confusion, anger, and so much more. For those of us with a history of mental health issues, turning to art can be extremely healing and self-balancing. It gives us a way to express what we feel internally without using words, because typically the words can’t be found even when we try.

I’ve battledADHD related dysfunction and depression for many years now, even before I knew what to call it.And it was the time in my life that I didn’t have a name for my symptoms that art saved me the most.And my favorite pieces of art from that period aren’t all pretty, and even the ones that are tell a deep and painful story.

Poor mental health can make you feel incredibly isolated. Depression sucks all of the life out of you. It makes it hard to find the motivation to do anything at all, even things you love. So sometimes, even if you’re using art to cope, the process is hard. Finding the motivation to start can be hard.The self-criticism is hard.Asking yourself “why even bother” is hard.

But here’s why it’s worth doing anyway: I read something online once that said “You’ve got to resurrect the deep pain within you and give it a place to live that’s not within your body. Let it live in art. Let it live in music. Let is be devoured by building brighter connections.Your body is not a coffin for pain to be buried in. Put it somewhere else.”And that is the epitome of the story I am trying to tell here.

If you are struggling, don’t bury it and don’t do it alone.Tell your story, even if you can’t find the words. Find an outlet.True power comes in telling your story… the real one, the ugly one. Because I promise, you aren’t as alone as you feel. And as one of my favorite mental health musicians, NF, wrote: “You aren’t the only person in the world that isn’t okay.There’s millions of us just like you”.

You don’t have to be the “best” artist in the world to create art. Create art for yourself. If you’re struggling to find your own voice, see if you can find it through an outlet that isn’t strictly based on words. Draw, write, paint, dance, sing, read, listen, or even just sit and observe the world around you. Draw close to the things that make you feel alive. And most importantly, find a way to keep living, because you’re worth it.

One thing is for sure, to know Keii is a journey within itself! Bet you didn’t know Kei and I are family , like blood family but that’s not where our journey began. Who knew fashion could take 2 people turn them into friends and then we realize. “Hey did you know we are related?!”

The rest is history! I love her strength and I love her idgaf attitude! She does what she wants, when she wants and says WHATEVER she wants, some could only dream of a life like that!

-Kelly Cunningham

Who is Keii Pittrell?

Keii is… a very confident and self assured person. I was raised by two people completely opposite of one another, it’s funny. My mom is a working woman. She enjoys working and making money and using her money wisely and my dad was a free spirited DJ who was an artist and very much always lived in the moment. Clearly I took more after my dad, but definitely have some of my moms ways about me. I wouldn’t call myself a nice person, but I’m definitely a kind person. I love to call people out on their BS, and confrontation is nothing to me. A friend once told me I would be great on reality TV. But, over the years I’ve learned to embrace my most authentic self and never let anyone dim my shine. As uncomfortable as that light is to some people, I honestly don’t care.

When was Hello Boogie birthed?

Hello Boogie, as a brand, was born in April of 2017, on a whim, actually. A friend at the time had shared a post about Danville Fashion Week looking for designers, I had barely learned to sew and she was like “You should do this!” and literally all I had was one T- Shirt design on a Redbubble account. So I signed up and spent fromApril to November learning to sew and coming up with the brand. It officially launched as a website on December 2017.

What’s next for Hello Boogie?

I think Hello Boogie is finding it’s stride. I think I’m out of the experimentation phase, seeing what sticks and what doesn’t and I’ve found it’s flow. I’m ready to take it to the next level. Do more shows, talk about it. I’ve always been proud of it but I’m ready to take it seriously. So we’ll see!!

What is a misconception of you?

Funny enough, a misconception of me is that people don’t think I’m a serious person. I joke a lot and I’d say I’m a fun person to be around but when I’m ready to do something, the jokes stop and I’m ready to get to work.

Fun Fact

Before I’m anything, I’m an illustrator and a nerd. I always wanted to design my own video game and I still want to, I’ll get there one day.

What do you want people to know about you?

Nothing! I want to become this mysterious vengeful goddess that people can’t seem to figure out. The goddess of talent and beauty. However if you’re a rich older gentleman, I’m an open book!

What is your favorite quote or a quote that you live by?

Easy! “This too shall pass”. Everything is temporary, emotions are always fleeting, nothing lasts forever, so experience it while it’s here. Neither the bad, nor good, moments in life ever indefinitely last. Live in it, embrace it, learn from it. That’s my motto in life.

Model: Keii Pittrell

Photography: Jameel Austin